Plymouth Institute of Education (Faculty of Arts and Humanities)

Biography

Role

I am an Associate Professor in Early Childhood Studies within Plymouth Institute of Education. I teach on the BA in Early Childhood Studies, the MA Education and the EdD, along with supporting PhD students. I am also an active researcher, currently undertaking a project exploring Child-centred Diversity in Quality Early Childhood Education and care: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/child-centred-diversity-in-quality-early-childhood-education-and-care

Prior to this I was a European Research Fellow in the Faculty of Child and Adult Education at the University of Debrecen, Hungary. Whilst in Hungary I will be conducting a research project on the Knowledge, Skills and Attitudinal Competences for Quality Early Childhood Education and Care

.

Qualifications

BCs in Sociology, University of PlymouthMA in Gender Culture and Modernity, Goldsmiths College, University of LondonPhD 'The Economy of Childcare' Canterbury Christ Church University

Research

Research interests

Professional knowledges for working in early childhood education and care

International interpretations of child-centred practice

Understandings of quality early childhood education and care from multiple perspectives and their consequences for practice

The mixed economy of childcare and early years education provision

The role of childcare in supporting employment and the welfare to work agenda

Qualitative research methods

Grants & contracts

Current Research:

Child-centred Diversity in Quality Early Childhood Education and Care - Funded by the European Commission

Quality Measurement Framework: Value for money comparison of public and third sector provision of pre-school childcare and education. - Funded by The Office for National Statistics

Parents and Childcare: A Literature Review - Funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and being written in association with the Daycare TrustLocal Authority Use of Childcare Sufficiency Assessments. - Funded by Government Office South West

Employment Retention and Advancement Evaluation - Department of Work and Pensions

New Deal Pilots: A Qualitative Evaluation of Quarterly Work Focussed Interviews, Work Search Premium and In Work Credit - Funder Department for Work and Pensions

Campbell Barr VJG & Nygard M2014'Losing sight of the child? Human capital theory and its role for early childhood education and care policies in Finland and England since the mid-1990s'Contemporary Issues in Early childhood(4)346-359Publisher Site

Campbell-Barr V & Coakley A2014'Providing choice? A comparison of UK and Ireland's family support in a time of austerity'Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy1-14Author Site, DOI

Campbell Barr VJG2014'Constructions of Early Childhood Education and Care Provision: negotiating discourses'Contemporary Issues in Early childhood(1)5-17

Nygård M, Campbell Barr VJG & Krüger N2013'The financial crisis and recent family policy reforms in Finland, Germany and the United Kingdom. Is there a connection?'Journal of Comparative Social Work(2013/2)

Campbell-Barr V2012'Early years education and the value for money folklore'EUROPEAN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESEARCH JOURNAL20,(3)423-437Author Site, DOI

Leeson C, Campbell Barr VJG & Ho D2012'Leading for quality improvement: a comparative research agenda in early childhood education in England and Hong Kong'International Journal of Leadership in Education: Theory and Practice,

Leeson C, Campbell-Barr V & Ho D2010'Exploring the interplay of leadership and quality improvement in early years settings in England and Hong Kong'JOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR TEACHING36,(3)333-335Author Site, DOI

Ho D, Campbell Barr VJG & Leeson C2010'Quality Improvement in Early Years Settings in Hong Kong and England: a Framework for Comparative Studies'International Journal of Early Years Education3,(18)241-256, DOI

Alderton T & Campbell-Barr V2005'Quality early education—quality food and nutrition pracices? Some initial results from a pilot research project into food and nutrition practices in early years settings in Kent, UK'International Journal of Early Years Education13,(3)197-213, DOI

Books

Georgeson J & Campbell-Barr V2017Places for two-year-olds in the early years: Supporting learning and development., DOI

Campbell-Barr V & Leeson C2016Quality and Leadership in the Early Years Research, Theory and Practice.SAGE

Nygård M, Kuisma M, Krüger N & Campbell-Barr V2016'Investing in our future? The influence of social investment ideas on family policy discourses in Finland, Germany, and the UK'Discursive Governance in Politics, Policy, and the Public Sphere31-46, DOI